The present invention relates to coin analyzer devices, and in particular to coin analyzer devices that are used in the control or operation of coin operated machines such as, for example, video games and other coin operated games, car washes, clothes washers and dryers and the like.
A wide variety of coin detectors and coin analyzing devices have been developed for use with coin operated machines. These devices perform a variety of different functions, among those functions being, for example, the rejecting of slugs or other improper coins, generating a credit or value in response to the deposit of coin, or determining the value of a given coin. These devices encompass a variety of both mechanical and electrical constructions, and vary according to the particular coin operated device that the coin analyzer or detector is to be operated with. These coin analyzers or detectors are used in various environments, such as video and other coin operated games, car washes, clothes washers and dryers and the like. An example of one such coin analyzer or detector is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,558, of which I am co-inventor. That patent discloses an apparatus that employs a spaced three coil stack used to compare a test coin and a sample coin placed within the stack. The coin to be tested is passed through the coil stack, and a magnetic field is generated between the coils. The device incorporates an electronic circuit that evaluates the quality of the output from the coils in order to determine if the tested coin matches with the sample coin. In the event that the test coin matches, the test coin is accepted and a credit is given. In the event that the tested coin does not match the sample coin, the tested coin is rejected and no credit is given. Although this structure operates well, this structure is limited to a single coin and value of credit given.
In the past coin detectors and analyzers have been used with coins of different denominations. Coin detectors have also been used in the past to accept and extend credit in return for various tokens that a given establishment may handle for use in its coin operated machines. The use of tokens provides several security benefits, allows the value of the token to be selected without any relationship to the face value of the token itself, and reduces the number of actual coins which must be handled since the tokens may be purchased and redeemed with other currency. Nonetheless, the use of actual coins in a machine is often far more convenient to the customer than having to purchase special tokens for operation of the machine. Since most coin analyzer devices accept only a single type of coin, any given establishment may provide machines that only accept actual coins, may operate machines that only accept tokens, or may provide a mixture of coin operated and token operated machines. In many instances it would be beneficial to both the machine owner and customer to provide coin operated machines that can accept and extend credit to both coins and tokens, so that the customer may select which form of payment is preferred.
Heretofore, in order to provide a coin operated machine that accepts both coins and tokens, two separate coin detectors or analyzers were required, one for coins and a separate unit for tokens. This dual unit arrangement greatly increases the space required in the underlying coin operated machine for the coin accepting apparatus alone, as well as increasing the expense of the coin accepting mechanism. In some environments the coin operated machine does not have sufficient space to accommodate two coin analyzer units. Further, when two separate coin analyzer units are utilized, the user quite often places the coin or token in the wrong insert slot, resulting in no credit being extended and often jamming the coin acceptor unit. Such a dual coin analyzer arrangement is therefore generally unsatisfactory as well as uneconomical.